16.6 million mobile broadband connections in Romania in H1 2017

There were 16.6 million mobile broadband connections in Romania in H1 2017, up 13 percent year-over-year, with the mobile internet coverage rate reaching 85 percent of the population, up nearly 10 percentage points from H1 2016, according to the latest report by the National Communications Administration and Regulation Authority (ANCOM).

Total internet traffic through mobile broadband connections in Romania was 145,000 TB, double the size reported in H1 2016 of 71,000 TB. Also, the average monthly traffic per connection surged 90 percent from January-June 2016, from 0.63 GB to 1.20 GB.

Overall, the total number of mobile broadband connections was 16.6 million by mid-2017, up 13 percent annually, with the mobile internet coverage rate reaching 85 percent of the population, up nearly 10 percentage points from H1 2016.

The popularity of mobile broadband subscriptions is steadily increasing, accounting for more than 67 percent of all broadband connections (11.2 million connections). At the same time, the number of pre-paid mobile broadband access cards increased by 6 percent to 5.5 million.

At the same time, the highest growth rate was recorded by 4G connections, which doubled from H1 2016, accounting for almost half of all mobile broadband connections, or 7.6 million out of a total of 16.6 million.

According to ANCOM, the total landline broadband connections in Romania reached 4.6 million in the middle of the year, with an annual increase of 6 percent, that carried 2.5 million TB, with the average monthly consumption per connection being 92 GB.